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Hobbiton

experience the real middle-earth...

By Altaaf Khan

On a recent trip to the North Island of New Zealand, I got to visit the Hobbiton Movie Set from The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit film trilogies, which is set on the most picturesque private farmland. Peter Jackson spotted the Alexander Farm during an aerial search of the North Island for the best possible locations to film The Lord of The Rings film trilogy. He thought this site would be perfect for Hobbiton.

Site construction started in March 1999 and filming commenced in December that year, continuing for three months. The New Zealand Army was contracted to build 1.5 km of road into the site and the initial set development. Thirty-seven hobbit holes were created with untreated timber, ply and polystyrene.

The set was rebuilt in 2011 for the feature films The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, and The Hobbit: There and Back Again. It is now a permanent attraction complete with hobbit holes, gardens, bridge, Mill and The Green Dragon Inn.

The oak tree overlooking Bag End was cut down and brought in from near Matamata. Each branch was numbered and chopped, then transported and bolted together on top of Bag End (weighing 26 tonne). Artificial leaves were imported from Taiwan and individually wired onto the dead tree.

Barberry hedges and trees were brought in during construction of the set and gardens are still maintained to look as they did in the movies.

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Tour ends at the Green Dragon Inn, which featured in The Lord of the Rings film trilogy as the local meeting place for all the residents of Hobbiton. The inn also makes an appearance in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. All the interior scenes for the films were shot in studios in Wellington, but now that same interior has been recreated at Hobbiton Movie Set.